China WILL beat us to the moon in a new moon race, thanks to Griffin. Ironic.

Griffin has politicized NASA and dodges accountability as his inexplicable outbursts this year have shown. The bottom line is Griffin doesn’t understand that he works for America, not the other way around.

We're, urm, pushing to LAP them?

ba'dum, ching!

How to distinguish between "their resources" and "our resources"? America's economy sells 700 billion dollars each year to import over 70 % of the oil it consumes.

So says T. Boone Pickens in
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2bOug1d20c
4 % of the world population consumes 25 % of it's energy.

That's enough spending, enough even to settle on Pluto.

You say "I am opposed to the US spending my money to go to the moon."

I agree. Better spend your money on driving a SUV which consumes 25 liters of fuel per 100 km from the shopping mall round the corner back to your living room. (which seem to be basic US interests) And don't forget to let your engine running outside during shopping

I agree with having NASA to protect US interests in space and putting payloads, like satelites, into orbit.

But, with today's rockets and equipment, going to the moon & beyond does not make sense. It costs to much and there is no return on the investment. The same argument applies to going to Mars.

Maybe if NASA invented a new low cost propulsion system, it might make sense. But not now.

I am a US citizen who opposes the wasteful spending in the federal, state, and local governments. We could probably do better if ~2/3's of the spending was eliminated.

Vernon Hills, Illinios USA

In space exploration, I wish all nations well and Godspeed. There is room in space for us all. I would prefer it was a coordinated international effort, somewhat like the ISS but with the way the present regime has stained the reputation of the U.S., I understand that can be impossible. But no more "space races". This mad competitiveness will be our undoing as a species.

If you should ever get bored by your highly elaborated conspiracy theory about men on the moon, then look at this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KEueJnsu80

"Perhaps the US could make it to the Moon quicker if they asked the Europeans to shoulder some of the costs?"

Forget it. The German minister of economic affairs Michael Glos (CSU) just canceled the German Lunar Exploration Orbiter (LEO).

http://www.universetoday.com/2007/08/21/details-on-germanys-lunar-exploration-orbiter/

The costs of the mission are now assigned to his home federal state Bavaria and will be used to extend the Center for Automation and Robotics in Oberpfaffenhofen, where also the German Aerospace Organization DLR is located. They have election campaign times in Bavaria.

Yeah, this is rhetoric question…

Hollywood filmed Apollo missions and "landing" on the Moon during the late '60 and early '70 in the last century.

BUT THE CRUEL REALITY IS – WE HAVE NEVER VISITED THE MOON, THE MAN NEVER LANDED ON THE MOON!

I would opt for Chinese to be first to send man on the Moon, although I'm an american citizen. Because I'm fed up with criminal, anti-democratic, anti-human politics of the U.S. goverment, full of liars, corrupted politicians, bankers mafia.

China go go!

And to hell with the notion of "cooperating" with them or citing our "cooperation" with the Soviets. Remember, that cooperation only came about AFTER they were roundly beaten in the race to the moon, during the Skylab era and not before. Furthermore, that was foisted upn NASA at the expense of Apollos 18, 19, & 20. Stupid politicians!

The Chicoms need to be similarly beaten in getting back to the moon (and at any other level of competition) as well. Then let them cooperate with us (the US). The renewed space race would prove to be a boon to the economy as well as for jobs.

So yeah, Byron, "Space exploration is education. Education of the finest degree in science, research, mechanics, theory." I just missed the point where NASA has the corner on the market of something that is of the finest degree. If it's of the finest degree, of the first order, then it ranks up there with say, everyone having enough food, good health, quality of life. So we out to figure out a way for everyone to share in it.

Space exploration is education. Education of the finest degree in science, research, mechanics, theory. Nasa creates jobs, it teaches people and most importantly it inspires people. That is what humanity is about. The ability to dream and the ability to inspire. The basics are always important but we shouldn't limit ourselves to the basic struggles of living day to day but instead give people hope, dreams and inspiration to push the boundaries of humanity beyond our pale blue dot.

In the US we have a war on two fronts, a presidential election, a stagnant economy, high fuel prices and a push towards being green. If I were the president, I would raise NASA's budget 10x, but in reality, our space presence isn't even close to being on the radar.

The talk of sending people out to protect our species from some killer asteroid is nonsense. Without an atmosphere to protect them, the people sent to the moon will be subject to much higher risks of death from meteor impact. Or maybe we should have them dig some really deep hole on this dead body in space and exist in there. There's a nice thought. They could send someone out periodically to pick up the supplies we send them.

What ever beings are left on the Earth in 4 billion years when the sun bloats will hardly be human. Let's worry about feeding, providing clean water, housing, educating, providing health care and education to the humans who are trying to live now.